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Comment: Jenny Hjul: Little to celebrate at devolutions party

In the exclusive enclaves of the most expensive public building in Scotland the architects, the cheerleaders and the practitioners of the devolution experiment congregated one night last week to celebrate — themselves.

Ostensibly it was a book launch party but the book being launched was about them, about the campaign for devolution, its movers and its shakers.

Jack McConnell, the first minister, was the guest speaker. Among those raising their glasses were devolution’s main beneficiaries, the new political establishment, Labour stars past and present, and the author, Bob McLean, himself a Labour party stalwart and the vice-convenor of the campaign for a Scottish parliament.

Getting it Together is McLean’s book and getting it together, last Thursday, were the outspoken champions of home rule, those people with the greatest investment in seeing the project succeed. But without wishing to poison the atmosphere of mutual back-slapping, is it not a bit presumptuous for